Mayflower 400 Sports Week

WE are less than two years away from 2020, which will see the city of Plymouth and its partners commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s departure to America.

Argyle Community Trust is proud to be at the front of Plymouth’s Mayflower 400 sports programme, and we have joined forces with Plymouth Albion Rugby Club and Plymouth Raiders basketballers, utilising the professional sporting brands in Plymouth to raise awareness of Mayflower 400 and create a lasting legacy of sports participation and physical activity.

The three clubs are launching their partnership through Mayflower 400 Sports Week, a fantastic triumvirate of sporting fixtures that will show how Albion, Argyle and Raiders are getting on board with Mayflower 400 in the build-up to 2020.

The Mayflower 400 Sports Week games are:

National League Division One, Albion v Coventry, at Brickfields on Saturday, March 24 (kick-off 3pm);

EFL League One, Argyle v Southend United, at Home Park on Friday, March 30 (kick-off 3pm);

Each game will include professional sports entertainment, pop-up stalls, and community activities. The events will showcase some of the work that is currently being delivered by the professional sports brands, including their community workand promotion of health awareness within the city.

“Through their exceptional community work and focus on healthy living, the clubs are ideally placed to help raise awareness of Mayflower 400 across the city and create a legacy that extends beyond 2020.

“With the involvement of Argyle, Albion and Raiders, and with Argyle Community Trust’s leadership of our grassroots sports programme, sports will be a key part of the amazing portfolio of activity we are planning for 2020.”

Argyle Chief Executive Martyn Starnes said: “Mayflower 400 Sports Week will be a fantastic opportunity for the city of Plymouth to demonstrate our sporting excellence as part of a global initiative.

“It is, of course, absolutely right for Plymouth to be at the centre of Mayflower 400 celebrations and we are thrilled to be working with our good friends at Plymouth Albion and Plymouth Raiders to deliver three fixtures packed with added events for Mayflower 400.

“We have an opportunity to use this historic anniversary as the catalyst for creating a lasting legacy of elite sport and participation at all levels within the Plymouth area.

“Argyle Community Trust and the football club as a whole will be working hard with partner organisations across Plymouth to stimulate, motivate and engage with the community in promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.”

Albion General Manager Steve Pooley said: “We’re delighted to be teaming up with our sporting neighbours across the city to play a key role in the Mayflower 400 celebrations. As a rugby club we want the community to be a huge part of what we do now and in the future and Mayflower 400 provides a wonderful opportunity to further these links”.

Plymouth Raiders General Manager Heather Nash said: “We are also incredibly excited to be working in partnership with Mayflower 400 and in conjunction with Plymouth Albion and Plymouth Argyle. For many years, we played at the Mayflower Centre and called it our home so, for us, it is a natural fit.

“We are proud to have had American players in our system for the past 35 years, all of which are very keen to see their heritage celebrated with the city of Plymouth, so long may it continue”

Councillor Glenn Jordan, Cabinet Member for Culture, said: “It’s fantastic to see Plymouth’s sports teams demonstrating their commitment to the Mayflower 400 commemorations.

“Plymouth City Council is determined to ensure that Mayflower 400 creates a positive long-lasting legacy and our partnership with Argyle Community Trust will help us to do this.”

Mayflower 400 will see an incredible range of activity hosted across the city, from small-scale street parties through to the opening of the Box, the city’s new £37m-plus heritage centre.

Sports will be a key element of this programme, combining headline events with opportunities for grass roots clubs and the general public to get involved.

More information about the wider commemoration can be found on the Mayflower website www.Mayflower400uk.org or on twitter @Mayflower400uk.

To book tickets for any of the events please contact the club directly.